Srinagar: Ignoring the State’s business houses, the central government departments and paramilitary forces like BSF, CRPF, ITBP and Army are making huge purchases for meeting their requirements from outside the state.

Government sources told KNS that though time and again the government has taken up this issue with Defense ministry and MHA to give preference to the state’s Micro small and Medium enterprise, but to no avail.

As per sources all these departments prefer to make purchases from outside the state.

Sources said that the previous government also failed to persuade all such central government departments located in the state.

Sources said that despite agreed by the Central government that the state’s Micro small and Medium enterprise are equally good to supply the goods as per their requirement and specification, however no headway have been made in this regard.

Sheikh Ashiq, President of Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry told KNS that if the government takes up the issue with the central government, it will greatly help in the promotion of the economic condition of Jammu and Kashmir.

”As per the tentative survey conducted by the business houses of Jammu and Kashmir, the central government departments including the security forces have a budget of around 4000 crores annually for the purchase of articles. “The local MSME are capable enough to have the quality materials,” he said.

He further said that that instead of inviting business houses from outside the state, the government should concentrate in uplifting the local MSME by taking certain decisions like persuading all such central departments to the state purchase.KNS